Self-closing can



(No Model.)

W.-A. SEXTON. SELF CLOSING CAN.

Patented A.

' INVENT'D \M'rmas ses: wad.

rrnn STATES WVILLIAM A. SEXTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-CLOSING CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,537, dated August1, 1893.

Application filed March 20, 1 8 93.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. SExToN, of Boston, in the county ofSufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Self-Closing Cans, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has relation to cans for containing gasoline and otherfluids, which cans it is desirable should be self-closing and maintainedin perfectly closed position when not being filled or having itscontents poured therefrom.

- It is the object of the invention to provide such improvements inself-closing cans as will insure the entrance of the stopple withcertainty into the mouth and neck of the can, effectively close thesame, and prevent its dislodgment in case the can is accidentally orotherwise overturned or tipped to one side.

To these ends the invention consists of a can provided with a flaringmouth above the neck, a weight having a flexible connection with thestopple pendent in the can, and an interior guide for said flexibleconnection and weight, the length of the chain being such that it willprevent the weight from coming in contact with the side of the can evenwhen the latter is tilted on its side all as I will now proeeed todescribe and claim.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drawings and to the letters markedthereon forming a part of this specification, the same lettersdesignating the same parts or features as the case may be, wherever theyoccur.

Of the drawings-Figure 1 represents a vertical central sectional view ofmy improved self-closing can, part of the body portion being shown asbroken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the canshowing the position the parts will assume when the can is overturned ortipped out of plumb.

In the drawings a designates the body of the can which may be of anysuitable form and size, and be composed of tin or other suitablematerial.

I) designates the neck of the can which is cylindrical in form, and fromthe upper end thereof arises a flaring mouth 0.

d designates the stopple, the lower end or point e of which is ofconical form, and the upper or body portion has nearly parallel SerialNo. 466,797. (No model.)

sides, the latter being just sufficiently inclined to insure the wedgingof the body of the stopple in the neck I).

f designates a weight which is connected with the lower point of thestopple by a chain 9, or it may be any other suitable flexiblecontrivance.

his a guide for the flexible connection g, which guide is arrangedvertically below the stopple e to guide the chain or flexible connectionin its movements, and to provide means over which the chain or flexibleconnection may bend, as at 't', Fig. 2, when the can is tipped out ofvertical position, and so hold the stopple e in the neck 1) againstaccidental displacement by the force of the contents of the canthereagainst. This is an important feature of the invention.

' As indicated in the drawings the length of the chain and the Weight isless than the distance from the bottom of the stopple, through the guideIt, to the nearest side of the can, so that when the latter is tilted tothe position shown in Fig. 2, the weight will not come in contact withthe side of the can and will therefore still exerta closing force uponthe stopple.

Besides the function above mentioned of holding the stopple in the canwhen it is tipped to one side, the guide serves to keep the chain g inplace at all times, so that when the stopple is withdrawn as it may beby the user engaging the ringj with a finger of his hand and drawing itup and afterward releasing it, it will be drawn down with certainty intothe neck, which would not be the case if the can were tipped slightly toone side and theweight rested against the side of the can to overcomeits gravity.

By providing the can with the flaring mouth 0 and making the lower endof the stopple conical in form, the said stopple when withdrawn andreleased will be guided with certainty to place in the neck.

The guide h is herein shown as formed on the lower end or point of aconical piece k which is supported by arms Z attached to the sides ortop of the can. Any other form of guide for the chain g may however beprovided without departure from the nature or spirit of the invention.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way ofconstructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forthall of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use,it is declared that what is claimed is- 1. A self-closing can providedwith a flaring mouth, a stopple for closing the can, a weight, aflexible connection between the same and the stopple, and a guide in theinterior of the can for guiding the said flexible connection and weight,the length of the said flexible connection and weight being less thanthe distance from the stopple, through the guide, to the nearest side ofthe can as set forth.

2'. A self-closin g can provided with a mouth, a cylindrical neck belowthe mouth a stopple having a conical point and slightly inclined sides,a weight, a flexible connection between the weight and stopple, a guidein the interior of the can for guiding the said flexible connection andweight, the length of the said flexible connection and weight bciu gless than the distance from the stopple, through the guide, to thenearest side of the can as set forth.

3. Aself-closing can provided with a flaring mouth, a cylindrical neckbelow the mouth, a stopple having a conical point and slightly inclinedsides, and a weight connected with the said stopple and pendent in thecan, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 13th day of March, A. D.1893.

WILLIAM A. SEXTON. lVitnesses:

ARTHUR W. GROSSLEY, A. D. HARRISON.

